Aya SolimanAbdallah R. IsmailMohamed KhaterSalem A. Abu AmrNour Sh. El‑GendyAbbas Anwar Ezzat2024-11-132024-11-132024-10-10Soliman, A., Ismail, A. R., Khater, M., Amr, S. a. A., El-Gendy, N. S., & Ezzat, A. A. (2024). Response surface optimization of a single-step castor oil–based biodiesel production process using a stator-rotor hydrodynamic cavitation reactor. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-024-35043-6https://repository.msa.edu.eg/handle/123456789/6228In order to combat environmental pollution and the depletion of non-renewable fuels, feasible, eco-friendly, and sustainable biodiesel production from non-edible oil crops must be augmented. This study is the first to intensify biodiesel production from castor oil using a self-manufactured cylindrical stator-rotor hydrodynamic cavitation reactor. In order to model and optimize the biodiesel yield, a response surface methodology based on a 1/2 fraction-three-level face center composite design of three levels and five experimental factors was used. The predicted ideal operating parameters were found to be 52.51°C, 1164.8 rpm rotor speed, 27.43 min, 8.4:1 methanol-to-oil molar ratio, and 0.89% KOH concentration. That yielded 95.51% biodiesel with a 99% fatty acid methyl ester content. It recorded a relatively low energy consumption and high cavitation yield of 6.09 × 105 J and 12 × 10−3 g/J, respectively. The generated biodiesel and bio-/petro-diesel blends had good fuel qualities that were on par with global norms and commercially available Egyptian petro-diesel. The preliminary cost analysis assured the feasibility of the applied process.enBiodiesel yieldIntensificationCylindrical stator-rotor hydrodynamic cavitation reactorCavitation yieldEnergy consumptionCost-analysisResponse surface optimization of a single‑step castor oil–based biodiesel production process using a stator‑rotor hydrodynamic cavitation reactorArticlehttps://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-024-35043-6